Reality Check
- Women provide up to 80 per cent of agricultural labour, a task that will be more difficult with the onset of inconsistent rainfall and fluctuating temperatures
- Africa has contributed only 3.8 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions
- The forest and rich topsoil found in many countries in Africa absorb 20 percent of the carbon emitted across the world
- Women are up to 14 times more likely to die in natural disasters
- " It is estimated that more than
70 million Bangladeshis,
22 million Vietnamese,
and 6 million Egyptians
could be affected by climate change-related flooding." - " In 2006, 426 natural disasters occurred in 108 countries, affecting 143 million people and causing $34.6 billion in economic losses "
- " A person living in a poor country is 79 times more likely to be hit by a climate change-related disaster than someone from a rich country."
- " As a result of climate change, up to 600 million more people in Africa could face malnutrition as agricultural systems breakdown."
- " An additional 1.8 billion people could face water shortage by 2080, especially in Asia, as a result of climate change."
- " If all countries consumed the same amount as some developed countries,we would need nine planet Earths to absorb all the pollution we emit."
Key events
UN Climate Change Conference, Copenhagen, 7-18 December
News
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YoutubeMaria Sharapova Seals the Deal
"Climate change impacts us all, everywhere. It is pushing millions of people around the world out of their homes because of droughts, floods, devastating natural disasters, losses in fertile lands and forests. But the poorest are most vulnerable and failure to act will deprive 2.6 billion people of hope and opportunity.
Let the Copenhagen Conference be the turning point to usher in a global green economy. Urge world leaders to seal the deal this December. You can make a difference. Get involved." Maria Sharapova.
View Sharapova's ad | Seal the Deal Campaign
- Videos: The Human Face of Climate Change
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Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world
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Urge your Government to Act:
Write to your representative and ask to...
Seal the deal
Support for reaching a comprehensive global climate agreement in Copenhagen in December
Enforce laws
Have strict law and enforcement against those who pollute and degrade the environment, coupled with education and incentives to protect the environment
Develop a strategy
Develop and implement clearly defined plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (mitigate) and enhance resilience (adapt) to climate change
Transition toward a green economy…
Based on renewable energies and offer more incentives for people to buy affordable energy efficient products
Reduce the number of vehicles…
And traffic density on our roads, including improved and affordable public and pedestrian transport systems
Promote education
Support engaging environmental education in schools and universities and promote community environmental awareness - an informed public is a powerful public
Develop conflict resolution strategies
Pay attention to the conflicts that have developed throughout the world and the negative impact it has had on the environment
Inform about carbon footprint
Promote laws that support including ecological footprint information in products
Implement green energy…
and green industrial policies
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Do Your part:
Click on each item to learn more...
Enjoy Green TransportationThis includes carpooling, taking the bus, taking the subway, riding a bike or walking when the weather is nice. All these would help to conserve energy and reduce traffic jams.
Fact: The harmful gases emitted by a bus carrying 100 passengers is only equal to 1/6 that of 100 individual cars.
UnplugWhen you are not using electronic devices, unplug the cord. That is the most direct way of conserving electricity. Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
Fact: Each desktop computer can conserve 30 kilowatt/hours of electricity every year by reducing the brightness; each laptop can conserve 15 kilowatt/hours of electricity.
Conserve PaperTry to print minimally at the office. If you must print paper, please print double-sided.
Fact: Every ton of recycled paper saves enough electricity to power a 3 bedroom house for an entire year.
Doing Your Laundry EfficientlyUsing energy-efficient washing machines not only conserves energy but also saves money. Laundry detergent made with environmentally friendly technology can help to conserve water.
Fact: An energy-efficient washing machine saves at least half the water and electricity every month.
Keep Your AC at a Moderate LevelThe lower the temperature set on an air conditioning, the more energy it consumes.
Fact: If every AC is maintained at 27°C, 22 Kilowatt/hours of electricity would be conserved and 21 kg of carbon dioxide emissions reduced each year.
Replace a light bulbIf just 1 million households each replaced 4 traditional light bulbs with Compact Fluorescents (CFL), we’d eliminate 900,000 tons of greenhouse gases.
Fact: Compact Fluorescent Lights last up to 10 times longer than traditional bulbs and use only a fraction of the energy.
Make the most of your old fridgeYou can even save more than 20 kilowatts a year if you minimize opening the door, and move food from the freezer to the fridge to defrost.
Tighten it upFixing leaking faucets can save water in a big way. Just one leaky faucet can waste up to 120 liters of the water a day.
Put it to sleepComputers use up to 70% less electricity when you put them to sleep instead of using a screensaver.
Fact: If just 1 million people shut down their office PCs overnight we would eliminate up to 45,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Bring in the sunIf just 1 million homes switched entirely to solar power, we’d cut yearly CO2 emissions by 7 million tons.
Fact: For $80 you can purchase a portable solar charger to recharge your smart phone. -
What is UNDP doing:
Learn about UNDP's work and projects...
Op ed
Helen Clark: A green deal for rich and poor
Reporting Results
Watch the Public Service Announcements
Featured Projects
UNDP helps Bhutan to reduce risks of massive glacier lake flooding
Retrofitting government buildings throughout the country to reduce Croatia’s carbon footprint